Drain cleaner



March 14, 1950 l T. s. DONNELLY 2,500,404

DRAIN CLEANER Filed Deo. 15. 1946 Patented Mar. 14, 1950 DRAIN CLEANERThomas S. Donnelly, Detroit, Mich., assigner tv Ambory Electric &Manufacturing Company, Hazel Park, Mich., a corporation of MichiganApplication December 13, 1946, Serial No. 715,944

33 Claims. 1

My invention relates to `a new and useful improvement .in `a draincleaner .adapted for cleaning clogged up drains and particularly vdrainsin kitchen sinks.

.It is `an object of the present invention to provide a drain cleaner.having a exible bulb provided with a presser disc mounted Within thebulb and so constructed and arranged as to `iioat within the bulb.

Another kobject of the invention is 'the provision of a drain cleanerhaving a flexible Abulb provided with a fitting extended therein andhaving a loose disc mounted Within the bulb and provided with a portionengaging with said litting so that the iitting will serve as a guide forthe disc in its movements.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a drain cleanerhaving a bulb provided with a presser disc and so arranged andconstructed that a maximum eiciency may be cbtained. I

Another object of the invention is the provision of a drain cleanerhaving a liexible bulb provided with a presser disc loosely7 mountedwithin the bulb and so constructed and arranged that a free and easyoperation of the disc may be obtained.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

It is recognized that various modifications and changes may be made inthe detail of structure illustrated without departing from the inventionand it is intended that such shall be embraced within the scope of theclaims which form a part hereof.

Forming a part of this specification are drawings in which,

Fig. l, is a side elevational view of the invention with parts brokenaway and parts shown in section,

Fig. 2, is a fragmentary side elevational view of the invention withparts broken away and parts shown in section.

Fig. 3, is a fragmentary sectional view similar to Fig. 1 showing thepresser disc in another position,

Fig. 4, is a fragmentary central vertical sectional view ofV amodification of the invention,

Fig. 5, is a sectional view taken on line 5 of Fig. 4.

In the drawings I have illustrated the invention comprising a iiexiblebulb 8 made from rubber or other suitable flexible material and havingan outlet opening 9 formed therein. A tting III is projected into thebulb 8 and provided With a lateral 'opening lII which communicates withthe passage I2 formed in the iitting and extending through the neck I3which forms a part of the fitting. vFastened to this neck I3 is one endof a flexible vcond-uit I4 held in position by the gromrriet I5. This'flexible conduit It is provided with a tting I1 having the `swivelthreaded part I8 which may be secured toa Water faucet having `vexteriorthreads. In the drawings I have shown an adaptor I9 threaded 'into theportion I8 and having a nipple 2l) adapt-ed for `fastening over a water'faucet r2i kwhich is not externally threaded.

The fitting Ill is provided on its inner end with a socket 22 in whichloosely yengages a pin 23. This pin 23 is xedly'connected to a presserdisc 24 vpositioned 'within the bulb 3. The engagement of the pin 23 inthe socket 22 serves as a guide for the disc 2'4 in its movements andprevents 'ex'ce'ssive tilting of the disc 24.

.In normal position th'edisc 24 would be in the position vshown in Fig.2 in which the pin 23 has 'ridden slightly downwardly of the socket 22.

When it is adapted to use the device the bulb is placed over the drainopening 25 of a sink 2li and the bulb is pressed downwardly into theposition shown in Fig. 1 so that the presser disc 24 is in engagementwith the end face of the tting I 0 and serves to press the bulb tightlyagainst the sink 26. In order to prevent exing inwardly of the bulb 8 atthe upper end a cup-shaped covering I6, of rigid material, is provided,the neck I3 projecting through this covering It, the operator, inpressing the parts into the position shown in Fig. 1, would grasp theend of the conduit I4 and place the hands against the rigid covering I6.When in this position and the water is turned on, the water deliveredthrough the passage Ill and the lateral passages l I will ll the bulb 8and bulge it outwardly into the dotted line position shown in Fig. 1tending to restore the bulb to its original form shown in Fig. 4. Whenthis position is assumed the fitting Il) will move upwardly so that thedisc 24 will be free for upward movement and the water pressure flowingunder the perimeter of the disc 24 will force it into the position shownin Fig. 3, thus allowing the water to escape through the drain opening25. When this water has escaped the structure will return to theposition shown in Fig. lv and the same operation will be repeated.

It will be noted that in normal position the disc 24 engages at itsperiphery with the inner surface of the bulb 8. This is advantageousbecause after the bulb 8 has bulged outwardly to the dotted lineposition shown in Fig. 1, and the Water has escaped the disc will beforced downwardly from the position shown in Fig. 2 by the incomingwater so that the amount of the bulb which is finally pressed downwardlyin the position shown in Fig. 1, is reduced to a minimum and a maximumamount of the bulb is left for bulging. Experience has also shown thatas the bulb begins to bulge and the part iB moves upwardly the disc 24will remain in its position until further water pressure is deliveredwithin the.

bulb whereupon it will snap upwardly into the position shown in Fig. 3.This results in a larger amount of water being delivered to the bulbA 8before it is released.

Experience has shown that a drain cleaner of this type is highlyefficient and one which may be easily and quickly operated by aninexperin enced person. y

In Fig. 5, and Fig. 4, I have shown a slight modioation in which thebulb 24A is provided with the outlet opening 9A. A fitting IDA projectsinto the bulb and is provided with a bore i IA extending therethrough.This tting is connected by the grommet I5A to the iexible tubing MA andthe fitting is provided with the enlarged cavity 21 in the end of whichare formed the notches 28. A disc 24A is provided with a neck 29 havingthe peripheral recesses or grooves 30.

The modification relates primarily to the tting and the disc 24A and theoperation of the modification shown in Fig. 4 is the same as thatillustrated in Fig. l.

What I claim is:

l. A drain cleaner of the class described com- 2. In a drain cleaner ofthe class described, a flexible bulb having an outlet opening formedtherein; a iitting extended at one end into said bulb and projecting atits other end outwardly from said bulb and having a passage formedtherethrough for delivery of liquid under pressure into said bulb, saidfitting having a socket formed in Vits inner end; a presser discpositioned within said bulb and normally engaging at its periphery withthe inner face of said bulb and being positioned in spaced relation tothe end of said tting; and a guide stem carried by said disc engageablein said socket for guiding said disc in its movements toward and awayfrom said fitting.

3. In a drain cleaner of the class described, a flexible bulb having anoutlet opening formed therein; a fitting extending at one end into saidbulb and projecting at its opposite end outwardly from said bulb andhaving passages formed therein for delivery of Water under pressure intothe interior of said bulb; a presser disc positioned within said bulband normally engaging at its periphery with. the inner face of said bulband adapted, upon being pressed downwardly by the end of said fitting,for pressing a portion of said bulb surrounding the outletI openingagainst a stationary body; and means associated with said presser discand cooperating with said tting for guiding said disc in its movementstoward and away from said fitting.

THOMAS S. DONNELLY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,471,229 Williston Oct. 16, 19231,977,319 McEwan Oct. 16, 1934 2,333,288 Benzel Nov. 2, 1943

